BCS 240: Basic Neurobiology

Cross-listed: NSC 201
Prerequisites: BIO 110 and BIO 111
Offered: Fall

Required or recommended for:

Neuroscience Majors: This course is required for the concentration.

About this course:

Objectives: This course introduces students to the rapidly growing field of neuroscience, which is the study of the biology of the nervous system and its relationship to behavior and disease. The course covers topics ranging from neuronal structure and function, communication at the synapse, membrane receptors and intra- and intercellular signaling systems, to the gross organization of the brain and spinal cord, the processing of sensory information, the programming of motor responses, and higher functions such as learning, memory, cognition, and speech. While the course is introductory in nature, the level of instruction is rigorous and treats many of the topics in some depth.

Lectures: Class sessions are 50 minutes long, three days per week. Review sessions (optional) conducted by the graduate student TAs will run in the evening of the lecture day prior to each exam. Undergraduate student TAs will hold informal study groups on a weekly basis to assist you in understanding the material. Lecturers and graduate student TAs are available during office hours or by appointment.

There are two "Special Topics" lectures scheduled in which faculty have been invited to introduce you to the research that goes on in their laboratories. These are informational lectures to give you a feel for the work that "real scientists" do in this rapidly growing field.

Laboratory: There are seven laboratory sessions scheduled during the semester. Each section meets for two hours. A laboratory manual will be distributed to help you prepare for and conduct the lab exercises.